7 Best Places to Photograph Grand Teton National Park

There are 7 best places to photograph Grand Teton National Park to capture the jagged peaks of the mountains complimented by the surrounding landscape and wildlife. There are numerous iconic scenes to photograph in this park.

We have visited the park in early June when the trees and grasses were vibrant greens, the wildflowers were in bloom, the mountains were snow-capped and the wildlife was abundant. Another visit in mid-October was a bit too late to capture the explosion of bright fall colors, but the early winter landscape was stunning nonetheless.

No matter what time of year you visit, there are endless opportunities to photograph nature at its best. Here are a few of our favorite locations to shoot within this scenic national park.

BEST PLACES TO PHOTOGRAPH GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

Oxbow Bend

The reflection of the mountains in the bend of the Snake River is the objective at this location. It is usually best photographed at sunrise before any wind begins to blow. It is always worth a stop at sunset as well because if you can catch vibrant colors in the sky in the still water, you end up with a magnificent photo!

I feel the best vantage point at Oxbow Bend is along the river. Walk a bit north of the parking area and follow the trails to the water’s edge.

PHOTO TIP: Always be aware of the scene in front of you AND behind you. At this location, everyone faces the Teton mountains hoping to get that perfect reflection in the water. I wonder how many people missed this amazing show of color and reflection in the river behind them!? At sunrise and sunset, color appears all over the sky. Keep an eye on all parts of the scene so you don’t miss something spectacular!

Schwabacher Landing

There are numerous places along the river to photograph the reflection of the Tetons in the water. If this is your first time here, we suggest going to the main parking lot at the end of the road first. From there, walk down the path about 100 yards and you will see a beaver dam. Just past that is a pool of calm water (usually) that provides excellent reflections of the distant mountains.

PHOTO TIP: If the weather doesn’t cooperate and the water is choppy, take advantage of photographing a stunning landscape scene with water, trees and majestic mountains.

To reach the other location, head back along the road and turn into the smaller parking area to the right. Walk down to the river and look for various spots where the Tetons reflect into the water. Many people stay in the area near the parking lot, but we prefer to walk along the river a bit farther to the south near another beaver dam that has created a section of calm water.

PHOTO TIP: The morning light right after sunrise is ideal for photography. The soft light makes the mountains and the reflection stand out since the river and surrounding landscape are still in shadow. We have photographed this location during the day and at sunset, but feel sunrise is the best since it creates a ‘pop’ of color in the scene.

Snake River Overlook

This overlook is the spot where Ansel Adams photographed the bend of the Snake River over 70 years ago which brought attention to Grand Teton National Park. The trees have since grown and obstructed the view so you can’t recreate the famous image. Use your own creativity and photograph what appeals to you when you see this scene.

These two photos taken at the Snake River Overlook show the contrast of colors and scene from June to October.

PHOTO TIP: Make a point to Document the Journey by taking photos with YOU in them. Use a tripod and timer – Dave has mastered pushing the timer button and running to be in the shot before the click. If people are watching you and you feel silly…so what!? Will you ever see those random people again? OR better yet, use a wireless shutter release. But I’ve been keeping that gadget a secret because it’s fun to see Dave get his exercise by trying to beat the timer.

Mormon Row – Moulton Barn

The Antelope Flats area is where Mormon settlers built their farms in the 1890’s. The relics of these farms are considered a Historic District and provide wonderful photographic subjects.

There are actually two Moulton barns. The John Moulton barn is to the north of Antelope Flats Road and the T.A. Moulton barn is to the south. We usually photograph the T.A. Moulton barn because there is more area to walk around to get creative compositions, and not as many people visiting this barn to get in the way of our shots.

Here’s another set of images of the Moulton Barn area to show the contrast of colors and scene from June to October.

Red Hills

Drive along Gros Ventre Road for about 10 miles to reach Red Hills. Enjoy the scenery as you travel along the road in the Bridger-Teton National Forest (no fees). At the base of the hills is the Red Hill ranch that produces top quality horses. We would recommend you turn and go back once you reach the Red Hills. There was really nothing of interest past that point.

PHOTO TIP: Be sure to photograph the scene behind you where only the tops of the Tetons can be seen. It’s a scenic drive back toward the park.

Pilgrim Creek Road

The area around the Pilgrim Creek Road is a good place to look for bears in early spring, usually late May to early June.

PLEASE FOLLOW the guidelines for viewing wildlife at the parks and listen to the rangers. Bears are emotional, with varied personalities and tolerance levels around their cubs and prey. Give them space.

When stopping to view wildlife, pullover in a designated turnout – do not stop on the roadway.

Maintain a distance of at least 100 yards.

Help keep bears wild and humans safe – Never feed or approach bears!

PHOTO TIP: You CANNOT get a photo on your cell phone or tablet of a bear that fills the frame image at the designated 100 yard rule set by the National Park Service. Images you see like this are taken with telephoto lenses, typically 400-600mm. When you encounter wildlife and don’t have a telephoto lens, simply enjoy the scene.

We like to drive around this area each morning. Even if we don’t see wildlife, we have wonderful scenery surrounding us!

Grand Teton Overlooks

There are numerous overlooks to capture images of the Teton mountains. Take advantage of stopping at each one. Also stop at pullouts along the roads to photograph the various lakes in the park. This is one park where it’s best to relax, slow down and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you!

PHOTO TIP: Sometimes the best photographs occur up to 30 minutes AFTER the sun actually sets. The afterglow produces soft light that reflects on the scene. Your eye may not see it, but the camera captures this magnificent light and color.

We utilize Pinterest to organize the information when researching travel locations. Photo Jeepers has a US National Parks and Travel Photography board where we only pin things we have read and find worthwhile. Use our boards to help you plan a trip to Grand Teton or any other US National Park. Save this to your travel and photography boards and share with your friends!

If you enjoyed this, please share and let us know your thoughts below.

Jamie

Travel and adventure give me perspective. I need things organized and love to use checklists. I admits to being OCD about organization – yes, I even rearrange the dirty dishes in the dishwasher after the kids have loaded it! My aim is to INFORM and INSPIRE you by sharing our experiences and stories from our travels so you will Capture YOUR Adventure & Document YOUR Journey!

I love visiting national Parks! We’ve just come back from Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes and it was so beautiful! So many national Parks to visit but so little time. Your photos look amazing, I already feel like planning my next trip to the states :p I’ve just started dabbling in travel photography myself and I’m inspired by your photography 🙂

What spectacular photos! Now I need to get to Grand Teton National Park (this bucket list thing is getting ridiculously long). I love your tip about looking behind you and taking in your surroundings to capture photos that you might not notice otherwise.

You captured some truly beautiful images of this amazing National Park! We’ve been exploring the national parks in Canada this summer, but your post has me wanting to head back stateside to enjoy the stunning Tetons! Thanks for the great photo tips as well – always looking to grow my skill :).

Your pictures are gorgeous and so apt for the blog title. I am a huge fan of the US National parks. Unfortunately, I’ve never been to Grand Teton National Park but it is high on my list. It looks very serene and quaint place. Thanks for all of the handy photo tips.

Wow – these photos are breath taking! We’ve never been to Grand Teton National Park but would love to visit. It looks like such a serene and gorgeous place. I would love to take a picture of bears but definitely NOT up close! Thanks for all of the photo tips they will come in handy.

When I visit USA and Canada, I have to get the National Parks Pass. I especially like it when you say, its good to visit any time of year! Oxbow Bend is gorgeous with the blue waters and snow capped peaks! Being lucky with wildlife would be the icing on the cake!

Firstly, your photos are absolutely amazing. thank you for the tips and i love how you captured the reflections of those great peaks! Teton definitely looks like a gem of a place and encapsulates North America’s natural environment perfectly.

I absolutely love all your photos, I can’t decide which one is best! Oxbow bend and the Pilgrim road are wonderful, I’d like to try taking photos like this using your advice one day. I think I will invest in a tripod, they seem to make a world of difference, and no shaky hands either!

Your photography makes the landscape come to life. It beckons me to visit Grand Teton National Park. I love the focused post. Those reflections are marvelous. By the looks of it, I could easily spend two days along Schwabacher Landing.

Stunning shots! My friend and I were visiting the Tetons via Jackson Hole earlier during the spring. There was still a ton of snow on the ground, but I seriously wished we had gotten ahold of this list beforehand! Oh, the pictures we could have taken! We made it to Mormon Row, but had to return a few times in order to get “the” picture that we wanted!